The start of August marks the countdown to the end of what most recognize as summer.

August opened with sunrise at 5:35 a.m. in Iron Mountain and sunset at 8:21 p.m. By month’s end, the sun will not rise until 6:12 a.m. and will be gone below the horizon by 7:32 p.m.,

In other words, the region will lose about 80 minutes of daylight this month, which this year will lead straight into Labor Day weekend. Kids also head back to school by month’s end.

But the area definitely makes the most of this waning late summer by stacking up on events in August. This appears to be one of the busiest weekends so far this year in terms of what’s going on in our communities.

The weekend’s offerings include:

— Woodtick Music Festival in Hermansville, which kicks off today and continues through Sunday, with 30 bands performing on two stages.

— Humongous Fungus Festival, which starts Friday evening in Crystal Falls and also runs through Sunday.

— Keyes Peak Summerfest and Pig Roast from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday at Keyes Lake Park in Florence, Wis.

— The Pembine Community Picnic from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at American Legion Park in Pembine, Wis.

— The St. Hubert Shrine Picnic on Shrine Road in Goodman, Wis., which begins with an 11 a.m. Saturday Mass.

— The Aurora Mud Runs, which start at noon Sunday at George Weber Memorial Park in Aurora, Wis.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate and let residents and visitors take part in one or more of these celebrations, enjoying these final days of summer 2018.